The United Kingdom national materials exposure programme

In 1986, the National Materials Exposure Programme was set up within the United Kingdom to investigate the effects of acid deposition on buildings and building materials. Thirty sites were chosen, which represented a range of geographical and pollution climates. Each site met a minimum meteorological and pollution monitoring regime (including SO₂, NO₂). After four years, other sites were included (with less frequent data collection) and some sites removed. At each site, samples of 3 types of stone, mild steel, painted steel, Cu, Al and galvanised steel were exposed, with some of the stone sheltered from direct precipitation. Samples were removed periodically for analysis and dose-response relations derived for different materials. The empirical relationships derived are in the form of: decay rate=a [SO₊] + b [H₂] + c [rainfall] + d These dose response relations have been used to develop critical load maps for materials for the United Kingdom. Eight years of data have been collected, some for the UNECE task force programme. Laboratory tests using an Atmospheric Flow Chamber were also undertaken. Since the beginning of the programme addition materials have been exposed on some sites including mortars. A further set of eight sites has been used to assess the effects of ozone on a range of organic materials (for example polyvinyl chloride, polycarbonate, sealants). The paper presents up-to-date findings for the programme and confirms the dominance of dry deposition of sulphur dioxide as the main decay process for sensitive materials in areas of significant pollution.     

Mapping of critical loads and levels for pollution damage to building materials in the United Kingdom

The United Kingdom National Materials Exposure Programme was initiated in 1986 to study the effects of acid deposition on building materials. The output data in the form of empirical dose-response equations (described elsewhere) have been incorporated into a geographical information system (GIS). In addition, data for the stock at risk of building materials has also been used. The dose-response relations indicate a dominance of dry deposition of sulphur dioxide in the decay process. Critical level/load maps have been determined for a number of materials. General pollution and meteorological data sets are also included in the mapping process. Maps give ‘exceedence squares’ on a 20 km square grid basis, indicating the unprotected areas or those still at risk for a given scenario for SO₂ reduction in the context of the UNECE protocol for sulphur. In order to derive maps of areas sensitive to pollutants in the future a model, HARM 7.2, is used for the prediction of distribution of emissions of pollutants in the UK. A series of maps has now been produced for different materials at 70% and 80% scenarios for the reduction of SO₂. Studies of the sensitivity of the exceedence maps to the accuracy or variation of the components in the dose-response equations have been undertaken. Results from the mapping programme and the sensitivity analysis are presented together with discussion of the concept of critical loads of materials.     

Environmental aspects of atmospheric corrosion

Issues pertaining to the environmental potential in decreasing the damage due to atmospheric corrosion and the evaluation of atmospheric corrosivity for materials on the territory of the former USSR and Russia are considered. The most significant results obtained under the UN ECE Programme on Effects on Materials, including Historic and Cultural Monuments are discussed. The evaluation procedures and the first results of the mapping of the European part of Russia according to the relative air humidity and yearly values of time of wetness are reported. It is concluded that the multiplicative approach to the creation of damage functions for materials and the developed conception of acceptable levels are good basis for mapping of the European part of Russia. The problems of mapping of the Asian part of Russia are not solved for extremely cold regions with low values of the time of wetness.     

Biochar composites: Emerging trends,field successes and sustainability implications

Engineered biochars are promising candidates in a wide range of environmental applications, including soil fertility improvement, contaminant immobilization, wastewater treatment and in situ carbon sequestration. This review provides a systematic classification of these novel biochar composites and identifies the promising future trends in composite research and application. It is proposed that metals, minerals, layered double hydroxides, carbonaceous nanomaterials and microorganisms enhance the performances of biochars via distinct mechanisms. In this review, four novel trends are identified and assessed critically. Firstly, facile synthesis methods, in particular ball milling and co-pyrolysis, have emerged as popular composite fabrication strategies that are suitable for large-scale applications. Secondly, biochar modification with green materials, such as natural clay minerals and microorganisms, align well with the on-going green and sustainable remediation (GSR) movement. Furthermore, new applications in soil health improvement and climate change mitigation support the realization of United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Finally, the importance of field studies is getting more attention, since evidence of field success is critically needed before large-scale applications.     

Characterization of three berry standard reference materials for nutrients

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has been working with the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements to produce Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) of interest to analysts of dietary supplements. Some of these SRMs are traditional foods including SRM 3281 Cranberry (Fruit), SRM 3282 Low-Calorie Cranberry Juice Cocktail, and SRM 3287 Blueberry (Fruit), which have been characterized for nine nutritional elements and sugars. The blueberries have also been characterized for proximates, two water-soluble vitamins, and amino acids. These new materials are intended for use in method development and validation as well as for quality assurance and traceability in the assignment of values to in-house control materials. Foods can be difficult to analyze because of matrix effects. With the addition of these three new SRMs, it is now possible to more closely match controls to matrices and analyte levels for fruit and vegetable test samples. Several nutritional elements in these three SRMs are present at lower levels than in other food-matrix SRMs.     

Impacts of mercury contamination in the southeastern United States

Mercury (Hg) contamination from a variety of point and non-point sources, including atmospheric inputs, is currently considered to be the most serious environmental threat to the well being of fish and wildlife resources in the southeastern United States. Fish consumption advisories have been issued in all ten states comprising the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Southeast Region. Both freshwater and marine species have been affected with levels ranging as high as 7.0 ppm in some individuals. Many other species, including various species of reptiles, birds and mammals (including humans) are also contaminated. Impacts noted range from reproductive impairment to mortality.     

武威地区中药生态农业发展现状与建议

武威地区开展中药生态农业研究具有非常重要的生态效益、经济价值和社会效益，为促进武威地区中药材产业的高质量发展和开展中药生态农业研究提供理论依据。对武威市现有中药材种质资源、生态栽培技术以及中药生态农业的发展现状进行了分析，提出了把中药生态产业作为武威市乡村振兴的主导产业、聚焦产业开展多学科联合攻关、开启“中药景观生态农业”发展模式、推进中药材种子种苗生态栽培基地建设、强化GAP规范化生产管理和中药材种植生态化等适宜武威市中药生态农业发展的建议。     

基于文献计量分析的地下水中氨氮污染去除研究

为研究三十年来地下水中氨氮污染去除的研究热点与发展趋势，本文利用CiteSpace和VOSviewer文献可视化软件，分析了Web of Science数据库和CNKI数据库中已发表地下水中氨氮去除相关文献的发文数量、发文国家及机构、发文作者、载文期刊、关键词和共被引情况。结果表明：2000年之后，地下水氨氮污染去除研究的发文数量不断增长，中美两国在该领域的发文更多、联系更为紧密，近年来在相关政策的推动下，我国在该领域的研究成果明显增多；中国地质大学是发文量最多的机构。目前研究热点集中在材料吸附、厌氧氨氧化、硝化作用等去除方式，研究对象较多关注浅层含水层、潜流带的地下水，未来应更加强新型吸附材料筛选及微生物脱氮等技术的研发，同时注重评估修复技术的绿色可持续。     

气吹式粮油作物脱出物清选悬浮速度测量装置设计与试验

物料悬浮速度是研究物料清选技术及装备的重要基础数据,针对作物经联合收获脱粒后的待清选脱出物的特点,根据物料悬浮原理及清选工况特点,该文设计了一种竖直吹气式的农业物料悬浮速度试验装置,并设计分段悬浮试验测量了收获期谷子、荞麦、燕麦经稻麦联合收割机收获后的待清选脱出物各组分的悬浮速度。结果表明:谷子脱出物籽粒、穗瓣、茎秆、叶子的悬浮速度分别是:4.29~8.88、1.03~6.48、1.71~6.09、1.03~3.09 m/s;荞麦脱出物籽粒、分枝、茎秆、叶子的悬浮速度分别是:4.47~10.18、1.85~5.18、2.80~8.37、0.76~2.99 m/s;燕麦脱出物籽粒、种皮、分枝、茎秆、叶子、未脱皮籽的悬浮速度分别是:4.35~11.01、0.62~1.71、1.62~4.52、1.14~6.28、0.91~3.56、3.24~9.48 m/s。谷子、燕麦籽粒的悬浮速度可与其大部分轻杂物的悬浮速度区分开,燕麦籽粒的悬浮速度与其未脱皮籽的悬浮速度相接近;荞麦籽粒的悬浮速度可与其小部分轻杂物的悬浮速度区分开。该研究可为农业物料机械清选技术及装置的研发提供参考。     

Acidic deposition in California: Findings from a program of monitoring and effects research

California's 14-year, $25 million acidic deposition program has studied the causes and effects of acidic air pollutants. In contrast to the eastern United States where sulfur-derived (S-derived) by-products from coal combustion dominate precipitation chemistry, nitrogen-derived (N-derived) acids predominate in wet and dry deposition in California. Adverse effects on the human lung have not been observed after short-term exposures to acidity, but extended exposures to ambient acidity may pose a chronic risk. No irreversible, adverse effects on surface waters in the Sierra Nevada mountain range or to the state's forests have been found due to extant acidic inputs. The longer-term outlook for forests is less certain because the impacts observed elsewhere occurred after decades of S and N deposition, but at lower ambient ozone levels. Ozone is the major air pollutant stressor for forests, but atmospheric N has the potential to cause adverse changes in soil nutrient cycling. Impacts on man-made materials in southern California (e.g., galvanized steel) were found to be minor. While California does not have an ambient air quality standard for acidic air pollutants, emissions of precursors have declined since the 1960's due to changes in industrial practices, improvements in technology, and adoption of control measures for ozone. Lowering emissions from motor vehicles will be emphasized to prevent future increases in N deposition.     

Recycling of Spent Mushroom Substrates by Aerobic Composting to Produce Novel Horticultural Substrates

The mushroom industry in the United Kingdom, the country's second largest user of horticultural peat, considers it important to examine alternative materials. Reflecting this objective, a series of trial were conducted to examine whether SMS could hygienically and rapidly be recomposted and reused as a peat alternative for mushroom casing. Alternative horticultural uses of recomposted SMS, such as greenhouse crop substrates, also were considered. Analyses were conducted on leaching, physical and chemical factors, mushroom yields, disease generation, and the economics of different approaches.     

基于关系与结构嵌入的农户农业废弃物绿色处置行为分析

如何在推进农业经济快速发展的同时又兼顾环境保护,构筑人与自然"生命共同体",已是中国推进乡村振兴战略不可回避的重要问题。区别于既有研究,运用倾向得分匹配方法(propensity score matching)克服样本选择性偏差引起的内生性,探讨了社会学"强嵌入"因素中的关系嵌入和结构嵌入对农户农业用资材废弃物绿色处置行为的影响。结果发现,结构嵌入对农户农业用资材废弃物绿色处置行为具有显著的正向促进作用,关系嵌入的作用并不明显;而家庭劳动力数量、兼业、家庭耕地面积以及农业收入比例等"零嵌入"因素是影响关系嵌入与结构嵌入的关键。基于此,该文认为,应通过建立农民利益诉求表达渠道与责任监督机制,鼓励农户加强与种养殖大户交流与沟通,营造良好的社会环保氛围等方式改善农户农业用资材废弃物绿色处置行为,以推进农业产业绿色转型。     

Application of a plant bioassay for the evaluation of ecotoxicological risks of heavy metals in sediments affected by mining activities

Purpose

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effectiveness of a plant bioassay (Phytotoxkit®) for screening ecotoxicological risks in sediments affected by mining activities.

Materials and methods

A total of 42 sediment samples affected by mining activities were studied, including 39 sediment samples from the Sierra Minera, Spain, an area affected by old extraction procedures, and three sediments from an area affected by opencast mining. These three samples were then mixed with limestone filler at 10, 20 and 30 %, providing nine stabilised samples. The total and soluble metal(loid) content (As, Cd, Cu, Fe, Pb and Zn) was determined in all samples, and the Phytotoxkit® bioassay was applied to determine the ecotoxicological effect of this procedure.

Results and discussion

The stabilised material had a neutral pH and low soluble metal(loid) concentration, similar to that of samples in which a natural attenuation process had taken place because of mixing with surrounding carbonate-rich materials. An ecotoxicological survey identified the low toxicity levels of the stabilised samples.

Conclusions

The applied bioassay is a good tool for screening metal(loid) contamination in areas affected by mining activities, since it provides information on both natural and simulated attenuation processes. The mixing of sediments with limestone filler could be applied to the remediation of zones affected by mining activities, because the toxicological effect on the tested organisms in the stabilised sediments was reduced significantly and the metal(loid) content was diminished.     

Shoreline stabilization approaches in response to sea level rise: U.S. experience and implications for Pacific Island and Asian nations

Coastal erosion is a worldwide problem; it is estimated that over 70% of the world's beaches are currently experiencing erosion (Bird, 1985), and this number may approach 90% in the United States. Almost every conceivable form of shore protection has been attempted in the United States, including construction of seawalls, groins, and jetties as well as beach nourishment. The principal approach to protecting coastal property and maintaining recreational beaches in the United States today is beach nourishment. Engineering structures such as groins and seawalls have often been shown to have detrimental effects on adjacent beaches. Also, their construction and maintenance costs are quite high. Therefore, coastal communities have come to rely on a “soft” engineering solution — beach nourishment —because it is environmentally sound, aesthetically pleasing, and, so far, economically feasible. However, global warming and accelerated sea level rise will cause more rapid rates of beach loss and could make even this alternative too costly for many resort areas along the U.S. shoreline. The cost to nourish all the major recreational oceanic beaches in the United States was estimated based on various sea level rise scenarios. The beach nourishment approach involves placing enough sand on the beach to maintain stable (nonretreating) conditions in response to rising sea level. The quantity of sand required to “hold the line” is evaluated under various sea level rise scenarios from the baseline scenario to the 1-m estimate of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Beach nourishment is not a practical alternative for most Pacific island nations because sand is a scarce resource. In fact, beaches are often mined for sand for construction, contributing to beach erosion. For mainland countries, beach fill projects are more practical. Singapore was one of the first countries to use this technology in combination with building offshore breakwaters to form artificial headlands. As Western style sunbathing and the overall popularity of beaches for recreation continue to grow, beach nourishment can be expected to become a more common way to deal with sea level rise induced coastal erosion for highly developed beach resort areas.     

Agricultural Composting in the United States

In the United States, more farms are composting than municipalities, commercial/institutional establishments, and other private sector groups combined. To obtain an overview of agricultural composting in the United States, industry, government, and university representatives from the top 10 beef and dairy cattle, poultry, and swine producing states were contacted between January and April of 1995. These states represent at least 70 percent of the nation's production of these commodities (except for beef cattle at 52 percent). The representatives provided information about the number of farms composting, the materials composted, composting methods, how the compost is used, and motivating and impeding factors for farms to compost. In addition, information was gathered concerning composting crop residues. In this case, specific applications of crop residue composting were identified and individuals knowledgeable about the applications were contacted for background information.

Note the estimated numbers of composting operations presented here represent a best attempt to quantify the composting activity taking place on various types of farms. In many cases, the numbers are rough estimates, based on the assessments of the representatives contacted in each state. Also, they only include the composting operations in the top 10 producing states. A considerable amount of composting occurs outside of these states. Therefore, Tables 1 and 2 underestimate the number of farms that compost.     

关于中国农业工程类专业建设和人才培养的若干思考

新时代全面推进乡村振兴和加快农业农村现代化赋予了农业工程新的职责和使命,提供了更加广阔的天地和发展机遇。大学面临着科技发展的新挑战、社会发展的新要求和人才需求的新变化,未来的教育将更加开放、适合、人本、平等、可持续。农业工程教育面临前所未有的挑战和机遇,迫切需要我们思考应如何培养高度智能化的未来农业的创造者、引领者和支撑者;思考如何聚焦本学科专业,坚守农业工程主体地位,使学科专业形成螺旋式上升的良性循环。该文分析了国际农业工程学科专业的发展,表明国际农业工程人才培养已凸显农业、工程、生物、信息的交叉,交叉融合的核心课程体系已成为专业学生不可替代性的标签。该文认为,强化本专业学生的不可替代性是强化学科专业主体地位和推动学科专业声誉形成螺旋式上升良性循环的关键所在,建议通过4个转变(从注重知识本位向提升素养本位转变,从专业教育向专业+通识教育并重转变,从高度专业化培养向宽专交融合转变和从偏重职业技能向注重全面成长转变),推动"新农业工程"的建设。     

A National Preservation Program for Agricultural Literature

ABSTRACT

Much of what defines the national character of Americans, as well as the nation's social structure, landscape, environment, and economy, is rooted in our agricultural past This remarkable story of the American experience is captured in a broad band of documentary resources that include the memoirs and transactions of early agricultural societies and almanacs, extension service publications, archives, photographs, oral histories and periodicals for farm families and the agricultural “trade.” However, older materials, especially those printed on poor-quality paper, are often severely deteriorated, brittle and fragile. To lose these materials would be to lose an invaluable record of American values and the nation's scientific and business enterprise.

The united States Agricultural Information Network (USAIN) proposes a national program to preserve in the original or in an archivally sound format–and make readily accessible to scholars, researchers, students, and scientists–the most important pre-1950 published literature and the primary unpublished resources that together document the history of the agricultural sciences in the United States. Participants will be land-grant institutions, the National Agricultural Library, and other libraries, societies, and archives with important historical collections. A USAIN-appointed national steering committee will govern and develop funding for the program and recruit a Coordinator to work with participating institutions to develop suitable preservation projects. The first priority is the preservation of scholarly monographs and journals identified as the core historical literature of the agricultural sciences. Projects will employ a hybrid mix of technologies (e.g., preservation microfilming, conservation of originals, and digital scanning), which reflect requirements for both archival soundness and improved access. The program will also assure that records for preserved items are included in national databases and that storage conditions for archival copies meet national standards. The plan envisions formation of a “National Agriculture Literature Archive” at the National Agricultural Library.     

Residuals management: A national need

Waste generation is a direct consequence of consumption practices. In the United States, consumption levels per capita have reached an almost incredible level. Around 6 × 10⁹ t of materials are consumed yearly - fuels, minerals, foods, timber, and chemicals. That amounts to 28 t for each man, woman, and child each year or 150 lb day^?1. Like some insects, we consume the equivalent of our own weight in ‘stuff’. High consumption rates necessitate high energy consumption to harvest, extract, process, and move about the materials we need. The U.S. per capita energy consumption is twice as high as England's, the next contender. Waste generation, therefore, has international implications and is not merely a local problem of finding disposal sites.     

Mapping of Acid Deposition Effects and Calculation of Corrosion Costs on Zinc in China

Corrosion damage to materials including objects of cultural heritage due to acid deposition has been shown to cause large costs in several studies in Europe and in the United States. So far no similar extensive studies have been performed in developing countries. The World Bank has therefore initiated and financed a study of the corrosion costs in China based on available data in the literature and obtained through contacts and visits to several institutes and organisations in China. An initial assessment of the corrosion costs in China due to acidifying pollutants has been performed using a model originally developed and applied in Europe, which has been adapted to conditions in China. Here, the model is described using zinc as an example. In the calculation of corrosion costs it is assumed that the stock of materials at risk can be allocated to census data, which enables a separate calculation of the cost for each province in China. The significant differences in corrosion attack is illustrated for zinc with a corrosion map of China based on environmental data and a dose-response function adapted for Chinese conditions including the dry and wet acid deposition effects as separate terms.     

Evidence of fish population responses to acidification in the Eastern United States

The hypothesis that acidification has reduced or eliminated fish populations in certain areas of the eastern United States was investigated by examining present and historical fishery survey records. The causes of acidification (e.g., atmospheric deposition) were not specifically considered, although instances of obvious alternative explanations (e.g., acid mine drainage, organic acids) were avoided. The number of usable data sets located was small. Trend analyses are severely limited by the lack of high quality historical data. The strongest evidence for fisheries declines associated with acidification is provided by data for the Adirondack Mountain region of New York. In some lakes, fish populations have declined or disappeared; lakes experiencing fishery declines are now acidic. Alternative explanations for changes in fish communities over time were examined. In 49 lakes, some or all fish populations have apparently been lost with no available explanation other than acidification. Extrapolation of these data to the entire Adirondack Mountain region suggests that perhaps 200 to 400 lakes may have lost fish populations as a result of acidification. Streams in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts also had documented declines in fish populations that were associated with acidity; however, the data are fewer and less complete than those for New York. Acidification effects on fishery resources in other regions of the eastern United States are apparently minimal. The extent of the damage to date appears small relative to the total resource.